A New Beginning: Chapter 1: The Raven's Flight
by theredletter
Summary: Raven can't stand living at her boarding school, in Wisteria. She wants to do alchemy, she wants to go one adventures, she wants to win the love of her father...She runs away in a desperate attempt to get just that. EdanAl will be in this fic
1. Chapter 1

Characters In the following chapter:

Raven Mustang (15)

Alyssa Bradford (15)

Setting: Town of Wisteria, Boarding School for the Military Brats

Time: Close to midnight

_Flashback _

_ "Raven please don't leave! --- It's dangerous out there, people, thugs, you know what they do to girls our age!" Alyssa Bradford, roommate and best friend to Raven, begged quietly making sure not wake the girls in the next dorm room. She watched Raven ignore her and walk to her dresser, Alyssa followed, grabbed her wrist and turned her around, "Or have you forgotten about Ginese?" Alyssa was desperate to keep Raven at school, even if it meant bringing back a miserable memory. Of course she remembered who Ginese was, she was a sweet girl that had snuck out of the school on night and never came back. A week and a half later they found her body lying next to the river 3 miles away._

_ Raven looked at her best friend and frowned, "Alyssa, please, try to understand, I can't take it here anymore, alchemy is my passion and I'm not about to give it up because it's not allowed at school. And I'm not going to be a housewife to some military junkie!! No! Not like my mother, it may have worked for her, but I refuse to be her, IT WAS HIS FAULT SHE DIED!!...I have a gift Alyssa and I am willing to go to any lengths to use it." Raven shook form her friend's grasp and continued packing. "Besides," she added," Maybe...Maybe father misses me...He hasn't written...Not like I'd want him to, but maybe he wants to see me again...Maybe he still loves me...If he ever did...Alyssa i have to try." She truly hated to think about her father, because when she did, all it brought back was the pain, the pain to see his face when she found her alone in her mother's room, alone with a monster she wished was mother...She knew quite well he hated her and that was why she was here in the first place...Alyssa broke into her thoughts when she said, " I'll help you out, but only if you promise to write to me everyday...I'm going to miss you Raven...So much. I hope you find what you want." Raven looked into her tear-filled friend's eyes and felt her own tears. She grabbed her friend and hugged her tightly._

_Flashback end_

This is where Raven's thoughts have been all day, as she lay on the ground of desert, thirsty and tired from walking miles and miles. She had run out of food 3 days ago and was getting to week to move. She lay there her face down in the dirt trying to keep her wits about her. '_Raven you're a stupid girl you should have stayed!! Now your going to die!!" _Raven coughed. She could barely see straight her mind was disoriented from hunger and no water, she couldn't even remember which way she was going. She hoisted herself up off the ground and tried taking a few more steps in any direction...She didn't take but two when she was on her knees...The last thing that came to her mind was, _'Maybe It's better this way...Dad won't have to worry about paying my intuition or stuff like that anymore...I'll be out of his hair for good...Just the way he wanted.'_

Darkness consumed her.

She never even noticed a small group of travelers coming her way...The leader of the pack had a scar over his face in the shape of a huge X. She had no idea that she was saved.


	2. An Extinguished Flame

Roy banged his fist on the top of his desk full of papers. "I don't have time to do these papers!! I have better things to do then sit around and sign useless papers." He gave a frustrated sigh and sat down in his chair. If truth be told, he had absolutely nothing to do today and that's why he was stuck inside doing nothing. He hated days like these, days with no action, they gave him time, time to look out the window, time to eat, time to think...He hated having time. All his mind would go to when he had time was her...**_HER..._**He hated thinking about her because when he did he thought about the one thing he loved more than his son...his wife...Julian Mustang. His heart wrenched with pain as the memories hurled themselves in the front of his mind, one after the other. He put his face in his hands and tried to dispel the memories, but that made them all the more prominent in his head. The first one being the night he found _**Her **_alone hiding in his room with a monster...an incomplete monster of...his wife.

_Flashback (5 years ago)_

_ Roy took a long gulp form the beer in his hand. It was his third and he knew that if he stayed for anymore he would be late getting home and making dinner for his children. The funeral had been today and Roy could barely contain it, as he buried his own wife. He lowered his head to try and hide the tears in his eyes. His longtime army partner, Maes Hughes sat there with him...Letting him drink his pain away. Hughes didn't know what else he could do but sit there and be there for him. He finished his beer in another gulp and was about to call the waitress over for another one when Hughes put his hand on his arm. "Mustang mate, you've had enough, I know there's going to be a couple of 10 year olds that need you right now and one more than the other. You know who." Roy sighed, yes she knew now that since Julie was gone he was going to have to pay more attention to Raven than he used to. He had to admit it would be harder...She is the spitting image of her mother, jet black hair down to her waist, and bright red eyes. Hughes broke into his thoughts when he said, "Come on, I'll take you home." _

_ Roy reluctantly got up and followed Hughes out the door after paying the tab. It wasn't a long way home, but for Roy they couldn't get home fast enough. When he did, he felt something was wrong...There was an air of...of...He couldn't place his finger on it but he knew something was wrong. "Hughes," Roy said apprehensively, "Please stay for few minutes." Hughes obeyed without a word of question, he had felt it to, an ominous feeling of the forbidden. _

_Roy went in the house and mounted the stairs, all the while calling his son's name, Raymond. He got to the landing of the second floor and walked to his children's room that they shared. When he didn't see either of them, he became worried and ran into the bathroom, no one was in there either, finally he ran into his and his wife's room and nearly passed out on the spot at what he saw. In the middle of a transmutation circle was something akin to an inside out body...Roy took a step further his jaw open in horror, he was right, someone had done it, someone had performed the taboo, and he know who the someone was. He looked left and right trying not to look at the monster in the middle of the floor as it gurgled and spluttered for air. He choked on a sob when he saw something, or someone in the corner of the room. It was Raven; she was sitting against the wall wide-eyed and shaking, staring at her father. Roy knew nothing then but rage, it was his yell of rage that alerted Hughes of a genuine problem and he race dup the stairs as Roy grabbed his daughter's arm roughly and yelled in her face. "WHAT DID YOU DO RAVEN? WHY, HOW COULD YOU!! HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING!!!!!" He tossed her back to the floor and Hughes came forward and helped her back up. "Roy, be gentle she's just a girl, and she couldn't have done this by herself." Hughes held Raven close and kept her gaze away form the middle of the room. Roy looked up as another thought that scared him came into his mind...He turned around and looked at his daughter with fearful eyes, "Raven...Raven...Where's Raymond, is he hiding?" Raven shook her head her tears disabling her to talk. "Where is he Raven, where?!?!" Mustang asked urgently, she choked and began sobbing as he pointed to a spot on the other side of the circle. Both Hughes and Roy looked in that direction saw something that made them gasp, Raymond's clothes lay there abandoned on the floor, as if he disappirated out of them. They both knew what happened...Raymond had disappeared from this world, into a different world...where he knew his wife was as well. His life was ruined! The two poeple he loved the most were gone...forever. He turned to his daughter, he was still cryin gin Hughes' arms, he yelled, " I hate you, Raven, this is your fault. you are too much of an influence on your brother and because of you he is DEAD---"_

_Flashback end_

His memory was interrupted when a knock resounded at his door. He shouted for the person to come in, and in walked the very man that had been with him in his memories. Maes Hughes walked right in, not bothering to salute, knowing full well Roy didn't care.

"I have some pretty devastating news Roy, you might want to brace yourself." Roy gave him a look that told him to cut to the chase and hw took a deep breath and did just that. "I just got word from Wisteria that Raven has been missing form the school for a week and a half now and no one can find her. They are looking everywhere for her, but they have no clue where to look." Roy stood and blinked twice, had he heard right? Had he just been told that his god-forsaken daughter, Raven Mustang, actually missing. He looked at Hughes and asked, "How is this devastating news Hughes, if she has run away, then she can stay away, i have no care whatsoever what she does and you perfectly---"

"GOOD GOD ROY HOW CAN YOU JUST STAND THERE AND SAY THAT, YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY HATE RAVEN, YOU CAN'T HOW CAN ANYONE HATE THEIR OWN DUAGHTER?!!!" Hughes was flabbergasted at Roy's apathy toward the situation...He waited silently for an answer and when he got none, he stood and went for the door, when his hand was on the knob he turned. "Roy if you don't go to help find your daughter, then for God's sakes, I will, she needs to know someone is willing to care for her, even if she won't accept anyone but you. Consider your choices wisely Roy, your molding her."

On that note he was gone...and let Roy in a sate of confusion and hurt. Confusion, because the words Hughes said had actually penetrated him like they never had before and hurt because, well because he knew he wasn't making the right choices and pretty soon it would be the death of someone.

But could it really matter if that someone was Raven...he sat down and went to his paperwork, working into the night non-stop.

Far off in an ishbalan refugee camp, lay the comatose daughter of Roy Mustang, unbeknownst to her saviors though. The man that spotted her, the man they all called Scar, came in and bathed her face with a wet cloth. She wrinkled her nose and tried to move...She was getting better...Scar stood to leave, _' When she wakes up,' h_e thought,_ ' I will question her, there is no doubt in my mind she is ishbalan, but she is different than all of us, she is somehow not completely ishbalan...But how can that be possible?'_


	3. Scarred and Lost

Characters in this chapter:

Scar (don't care how old he is)

Raven (15)

Edward Elric (15)

Alphonse Elric (14)

_Comatose Flashback_

_ "Mama!" The young boy of 7, Raymond Mustang, Flew into his mother's arms tears stinging his deep red eyes. Raven ran in right after Ray and looked embarrassed and guilty. Their mother looked at Raven, who avoided her gaze; she smiled gently down at her son. "Sweetheart, what's the matter? Are you hurt honey?" Raymond shook his head and choked on a sob before speaking, "Father's mad, really mad...Raven came outside during my lessons and wanted to learn." She looked startled at this revelation. She looked up and saw Raven had left, fled up to her room more than likely, and that's exactly where she was, trying to keep her tears at bay. _

_ Raven knew father didn't like her, and she knew better than to go out during lessons, but she couldn't help it. Alchemy was fascinating to her, it seemed wrong that a girl wasn't allowed to do alchemy. She hugged her knees to her chest and stared out of the window that overlooked the lake they lived by. She looked up when the door opened and her twin brother Ray walked in. He didn't say a word but sat down beside Raven and hugged her, " Rae I'm sorry Father yelled at you like that it wasn't fair and----" "No Raymond, i deserved it I know Daddy doesn't like me, and I knew he'd yell at me for going out and getting in the way." Raymond just hugged her tighter, " Raven if you want when lessons are over, you and I can go to our secret place and I'll teach you everything I learn, you and I will be the best alchemists in the world." Raven moved away from Raymond. He would really do that for her, he seemed to read her thoughts and smiled saying, "You're my twin Rae I love you and if you really want to learn this I'll help you. She gave him a huge grin and threw arms around him, "I love you too Raymond!" _

_(3 years later) _

_ Raymond stormed around the house in distress, he didn't know what to do, Mama was dead, Father was gone; he and Raven were all alone in this house. He knew what he wanted to do, but he would have to find the right time to suggest it to Raven. Father had told him about it in one of his lessons, calling it the taboo of Alchemy, the one rule that can never be broken...Human Transmutation. They both wanted mom back, this was the only way to do it. He knew if he didn't suggest it now there would never be a better time._

_He entered their bedroom, grabbed Raven's hand and told her his plans, "Raven I need your help with this though I can't do it alone."_

_"But--But Ray, it's illegal, we can't do that I ----"_

_"Rae! Do you want mom back or not, this is the only thing we can try. Please Raven It'll be okay." Raven looked away unsure, but agreed to what Raymond was planning, She knew it was insane, and that it was wrong, but she wanted so badly to have mama back. _

_ They studied for days, read as many books as they had in their possession. The day finally came when they were ready to perform the Transmutation, the night of the funeral. Raven and Raymond sat in the middle of their parent's room, a transmutation circle and all the materials needed for the transmutation ready in the middle. "Rae you ready?" Raven looked at her brother and confessed, " Raymond, I'm so scared, what if something happens, what if it doesn't work, Ray what if we don't have enough to give in exchange for mama?" She was beginning to go into hysterics. Raymond pulled her close and tried to comfort _her_, "We have enough Raven, trust me on this I did my research, I know what must be done." yes he knew, he knew all to well, there was going to be another death, and he knew he was going to be the one to go. Raven didn't know, or else she would have called the whole thing off. Raven needed her mama, more than Raymond needed his Father, without mama Raven would be sent away, far away to a boarding school, he knew this because he saw flyers and brochures of schools in his father's room. It angered him. Raymond stood back and smiled at Raven, she smiled back. They got on their knees, "Ready Rae?" "Ready"_

_"1, 2, 3!" Clap and touched the circle_

_Raven woke up as the bright flash of light shot around the circle._

_(End Flashback and Comatose State)_

Raven's eyes opened slowly, as the light hit her face. She was lying on a cot-like mattress, and had a blanket over her body. She groaned, she had a killer headache and was dead thirsty. She sat up and looked around the cloth tent she was lying in. She couldn't see anything close to water. She saw her backpack that was full of clothes, some chalk, and two of her best books on alchemy. It took her a minute to realize that there was a presence in the room with her. She looked to the entrance and her back stiffened. She knew that face, there were wanted signs everywhere in Wisteria, and he was the mass alchemist murderer, Scar. She backed away form the entrance as far as the tent allowed.

"So i see you have heard of me" Scar said, not really caring about her fear, he moved closer and handed her a bowl of water, "You were out there in the desert for quite a while you must be thirsty." Raven kept her mouth shut and took the bowl, she stared at it for a long while...not sure whether it was safe or not to drink it. Her thirst won over her curiosity and she took a long sip. "Thank-cough- you" Her throat hadn't been in use for a while, she figured, _'How long was I out?'_ They sat in silence for a while, till Scar figured now would be a better time than ever to question her.

"You're Ishbalan am I correct?" Raven nodded, she wanted to ask how he knew, but thought it best keep her mouth shut. Scar continued, "But you are not completely Ishbalan, am I right? Again she nodded. He looked at her intently and said, "One of your parents was Ishbalan and one was not." Raven widened her eyes, she couldn't help to ask, "How can you know all this...My mother was Ishbalan...How do you know these thing?" He didn't answer her, he had all he needed, but one more question and his suspicions would be confirmed. "What was your mother's name?" Raven kept her mouth shut, something was going on and she knew if she talked she would start trouble. She shook her head. He stood up satisfied for now with the information he had, he went and got the young girl some soup, but when he came back she was gone. Her backpack was gone too, she had run. Scar swore under his breath, this was going to cause trouble.

_Raven's second Flight_

Raven ran as fast as she could in the direction a locale Ishbalan boy had indicated where Central would be. She wanted to get as far away as possible to that man. She ran until nightfall where she collapsed where she was, breathing hard, thirsty, and cold. She looked up ahead and says lights, lantern lights? What were lanterns doing moving around by themselves, but then she realized that each lantern had a body connected to it. She got up; maybe she could have enough energy to make it to the two figures walking. She was getting close enough to here voice...they were talking to each other, both sounded like boys. She tried calling out but all that came out was an exhausted cough. She dropped to her knees and curled up on the ground in a circle, she couldn't go any farther.

_Two Figures P.O.V._

"Why do we have to go to Wisteria Al, we have our own agenda, and over some missing girl. This is police work not an alchemist." Edward Elric, the elder of the two brothers complained. Al chuckled and replied, "Ed you are a state Alchemist and you said you'd take the assignment as long as Hughes stopped talking about Elysia. You have no one to blame but yourself." They both heard a cough and stiffened. "What was that? Who goes there!?" Edward gave his lantern to Al and clapped his hand together, in a blue flash of light, the top of Edward's metal hand turned into a knife. They walked to the direction of the cough and came upon a shocking sight. A girl was curled up on the ground shaking. Edward knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey," he said shaking her arm softly, "Hey, are you Raven?" She opened her eyes slowly and nodded. Who were these people that they knew her name? She suddenly heard the boy that touched her laugh and talk to his partner, "Well Al our search is over it looks like we didn't even have to go to Wisteria at all." "Ed look at her she's tired and probably hungry c'mon lets get her back to HQ." She felt cold metal against her body as the man in armor picked her up and said comfortingly, "Don't worry we're here to help you."

She closed her eyes and smiled...She was safe...She knew it. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.


	4. Coal vs Fire

Raven woke up to two voices in deep conversation, she kept her eyes closed. Making her appear to still be sleeping, she listened in the conversation. "Why are you going to send her back Colonel, she came all this way." "Hughes, she doesn't belong here and she knows it. She can't stay, she will only cause trouble." "You saw what was in here bag Roy, she's been practicing, whose to say she can't pass, it's evident she wants to be with you."

"I say she can't! And I say she won't, i don't need her hanging onto me while I'm trying to do my job!" "Roy...you don't realize it do you? She's a teenager, she doesn't need constant surveillance." "She does if she plans on running away like that."

Raven opened her eyes, sat up fast, and glared at here father. He looked up a bit surprised to find her so awake already, then realized she had been awake all along. Lt. Col. Maes Hughes sighed, this is going to make for a long day, he thought before giving Raven a smile. "Hey kiddo, good to see you awake and strong, that was quite a journey you made." She looked away, ignoring the compliment, then looked at her father, "I'm not a baby Father i can take care of myself, you can't rule over every aspect of my life when you don't even want to be a part of it!" There was no mistaking the hurt and rage in her voice, but Roy brushed it off with his cold shoulder. "You can't be running away like that, you know how behind I am in my work. You should be thankful Hughes got a couple of people to go out looking for ---" "What! You mean you didn't send those two boys out for me, it was Mr. Hughes!!" She shouted at her father, distraught that he didn't care enough to get someone to find her and just left it in one of his employees. Hughes frowned, he knew the help was appreciated, but he knew that he couldn't love Raven like he knew Roy could. He wished he could somehow make Raven see that one person was there for her and cared for her well-being but he was sure she would have none of it unless it came from Roy. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the shouting again. he stood up and said with fake merriment in his voice, "Well I best be off, lot's to do at HQ...Roy you better come to, oh and Raven remember you are always welcome here, stay as long as you need, this home is your home." With that he stepped out.

Raven took time to finally look at where she was a spare bedroom. It wasn't decorative, but it had a homey touch to it. She looked back at her father. She raised her chin defiantly and said, "I will not go back Father, I won't, you can ship me in a box, but I will not stay there, I will only run again. Please, let me stay, let me do something to prove that I can."

He looked at her...he didn't know what possessed him to but he heeded her word, "You will study," he said," You will take the alchemy exam coming this September, meaning you have only 3 months to study, i will find you a tutor, but if you fail...you will go back to Wisteria without argument. Am I understood?" She nodded eagerly she was so excited that she threw arms around her father in a bear hug. His heart clenched with pain, not from the hug, but from the memories it brought back to him. This was the way Raymond and she always hugged him, always looking to please. it was too much for him he pushed her away, none too gently and walked to the door, before he left he turned around and said with finality, "You will get dressed and met me when Hughes comes for you, which will be soon"

Raven jumped out of bed and went to her bag, when she found no clothes there she looked around, there on the counter were her clothes, fresh and clean, ready for the day. She chose her favorite outfit, black combat boots, black cargo pants, and a deep blood red tank top with a black mesh camisole to go around it. She picked up one of her alchemy books and read it, willing to wait for Hughes.

It didn't take long, within the hour Hughes was at her bedroom door smiling, "I'm glad you father came around and let you stay, you will enjoy it here, I'd have you meet my wife, but she's at a friend's baking, however you can see my daughter Elysia I have lots of photos." With that he dragged her to a living room full of pictures of a beautiful little girl who couldn't me no more than 3 or 4. Hughes picked up the latest one and said," Look at Elysia, awwww!!!" he was using his baby cooing voice, "Isn't she so cute, it's the swimsuit edition in mommy's gardening hat, isn't she precious!!" Raven tried to bite her lip to hold in her laughter but a few giggles came out, Hughes had gotten much more insane since she saw him, she loved it. She hugged him tightly, "Your daughter is beautiful lt. Hughes and thank you for letting me stay, I really missed your eccentrics." Hughes smiled and hugged her back, he didn't know how Roy could stand not loving this girl, she was a doll, and more importantly, she was at that stage in her life where a parent figure is what she needed most. "Your always welcome Raven, make no mistake about that." he whispered softly, then spoke up letting go, "Now I think we need to go to your father's office before he wonders where I've taken you,"

Raven was excited; she couldn't wait to see who would be her tutor. When she walked in she saw her father sitting behind his desk and sitting on one couch was a boy that looked to be maybe 12 or 13 and a much bigger taller man that looked to be a full grown adult sitting on the other side. She recognized these two as the people that saved her. Roy motion for her to take a seat, she sat on the couch where the younger boy was sitting, Hughes left the room.

"Now," Roy said, "down to business, boys I'm sure you aren't terribly busy so I am assigning you to something." The younger boy with the blond hair scowled, he must have not liked taking orders. Roy didn't notice or didn't care and continued, "We have a candidate for the alchemy exam and I am assigning you to tutor her, Raven you will be under the instruction of the Full Metal Alchemist." Raven's jaw dropped, had she heard right? The Full Metal Alchemist, servant of the people alchemist? She looked to the big man in armor and saw why he was called the Full metal, she stood and lowered her head in respect, "Thank you sir for agreeing to tutor me, I can see where you got your name."

"Ehehee" The "Full metal Alchemist" said, "I'm not the Full metal Alchemist." Roy was laughing and laughing hard, she had no clue what was going on, when the boy next to her stood up grabbed her arm and turned her around. "I'm the Full Metal Alchemist and i haven't agreed yet to tutor you." He turned to Roy, "You can find someone else Colonel I'm not going to do it." Roy chuckled and said, "Well Edward, you have no choice, I'm making you as my commanding officer for the next three months, she will be following and learning from you, you are responsible to return her back her in time for the exams come September." The boy called Edward and the Full Metal Alchemist scowled more then looked at Raven then back at Roy, "Fine but if she wanders off I'm not wasting my time finding her, I'm not in the mood to baby-sit." It was Raven's turn to scowl, "Hey, Shrimp Puff! I don't need babysitting and if you going to be a jerk about this then i can go find someone else, clearly you don't have skill enough to teach me."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME, IM NOT SO SMALL THAT YOU NEED TO SEE ME OUT OF A MAGNYFYING GLASS?" Edward shouted amid Roy's laughter. The man in the armor held Edward back from advancing toward Raven. Raven stuck her tongue out at Edward. After a few minutes things started to calm when Roy said, "Alright well i need to get back to work, I will give the two of you the rest of the day to get to know each other, you can head out tomorrow." When they left the room, Raven grabbed Edward and pinned him up against the wall. She glared at him, "Let's get one thing straight, I'm not you girlfriend, I'm not your student, and I'm not your friend, I am with you to pass the exam and that's ALL GOT IT!?" With the Raven let go of him and walked away.

Edward stared after her, red blush creeping up his cheeks. "She's weird" he concluded and went the other direction Alphonse following his lead, "Edward be nice." "Huh Yeah in he dreams!"

Alphonse looked back to where Raven had walked; _she's a sad girl, she's so young to be taking the exam, almost older brother. Something happened; all she needs is a friend._

The next day would call for emotional trials.


	5. The Sin

Raven (15)

Edward (15)

Alphonse (14)

_ It's been a month and he's as open to me a locked safe, _Raven had been thinking for that last half hour rather than read the Alchemy book she had been assigned to. Her tutor, well teacher rather was none other than the famous Full Metal Alchemist Edward Elric. People would think that being tutored under him would be an honor but in truth...she was sick of him. He treated her like a child trying to learn the ABC's. they never talked lightly to each other either, when they discussed alchemy or when she was being quizzed, she would sometimes try to get him to talk about his past, his childhood, friends he might have, and every time he shot her down. When they weren't tutoring they were arguing.

Raven sighed and shook her head, _I don't know if I can do this for 2 more months it's insane...I just want to know someone that I can finally tell._ She still wasn't sure if her assumptions were true, but she believed that Edward and Alphonse had done the same thing she and Ray had done, a taboo, human transmutation, a sin. she wanted to ask them, but had no clue how to go about it, if she was more certain of her assumptions she just might have blurted it out while they were eating dinner, but she didn't know a thing about their past, therefore they were still a total mystery.

She sighed and looked around the room she was in...the inn's lodgings were that great, but they were comfortable, two beds and a couch, plus a small desk and chair. One bed was hers, and one was Edward's, she had no clue where Alphonse slept or if he slept at all. It was all so confusing.

She frowned; she needed to get this book over and done with. _No reason telling Ed that I read this book when I was lttle; he'd never believe it and wouldn't care._ She buried her head back in her book and tried to concentrate. No more than 5 minutes later was there a knock on the door and then the sound of someone opening the door and walking into the room. Without turning around she knew who had just come in, there was no mistaking him, the metal hollow sound his footfalls made, it was almost as if he was empty. She looked up with a fake smile on her face expecting to see Alphonse's brother with him, but Ed was nowhere to be seen. She put on a real smile and said, "Hey Al, what's up? I thought you and Ed were always together." Alphonse seemed to laugh at this and said in his metallic squeaky voice, "Well, brother had some business to do in town and he wanted to do it alone so he told me to come back here, do you want to go out for a walk, you've been in this room all the while we've been here. It's a really beautiful place."

"Will I have to deal with Edward if i don't finish the book?" Raven inquired, she was tired of dealing with him when she didn't do her work, and she believed she deserved a break every now and then. "No Raven, I'll talk to him, he's taking this a little too seriously I think, Colonel Mustang told him not to muff this. Come on." Raven stood up and left the book on the table and followed Al out of the room. He led her behind the inn when they got outside and down a hill. At the bottom of the hill was a beautiful river with trees lining the edge every few yards? "Wow, it is beautiful." was all the could escape Raven, dusk was coming, and the way the last rays of the sun shown on the river made a spectacular color show, greens dancing with orange, red with pink, yellow with blue, it was amazing. She sat down and watched, she never noticed that al sat down beside and watched her. A while later, was it 3 minutes or 30 she had no clue, but she looked up at al and smiled

She was hoping that maybe Alphonse would show her what he really looked like, hoping he would take of his helmet and let her see his face, let her see his smile, to prove her theory wrong that he was an empty shell; she hoped that that would happen. But it never did, instead Alphonse started conversation. "I hope you can forgive my brother he can be a bit thick-headed sometimes." Raven gave a small laugh, "Alphonse I think that 'sometimes' is a bit of an understatement." They both went into fits of laughter.

All went serious again when raven asked, "Alphonse, why is it you always where your armor, are you scarred? Or are you always suppose to wear armor in case of attack or something?" She tried to sound stupid and innocent, and she had thought she had done a good job, but apparently she was wrong, "No Raven, and I think you know, I see you stare at me, as if your trying to figure me out, why don't you tell me what you really believe." Raven thought about whether to lie or not, but figured honesty would get her honesty in return, "I think there's no body in your armor, that what you are an attached soul..." "You're right Raven I am see?" Alphonse lifted his helmet, and bent forward a bit so Raven could look inside, when she did she saw the blood seal that kept Al's soul attached. She felt like crying. " I was 11, Ed was 12, our mother had died a year before, she was all we had. We were lost and had no where to look to for a hopeful future. When we knew enough alchemy we gathered all the supplies needed and tried..." Alphonse couldn't finish so Raven did it for him, "A human Transmutation" "Yes...That's when it all went bad, my body was lost at the gate and my brother lost his arm and leg, when i woke up, I was in this armor, and my brother was bleeding to death. And the thing that was our mother...was dead." he fixed the helmet back on his head and looked at Raven. She was glad it had gotten so dark or else Al would have seen the tears escaping Raven's eyes.

Raven didn't know what to say, except to give him her story, it was after all equivalent exchange. She wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them to her chest; she rested her chin on tops of her knees and started to talk. "I had a twin brother, his name was Raymond. I also had two parents as I was growing up, but my dad, he didn't like me. Honestly Al my father hated me, he never wanted a daughter just a son, he's never harmed me, but he never allowed me to participate in the alchemy training my brother got. My mother, oh my mother, she was beautiful, and she loved me, she loved me and my brother as an equal. She knew father hated me and she tried to talk him around, but he was never convinced. While my brother was being taught I was helping my mother with things around the house, cleaning, cooking, and in return she'd help me with my homework. After dinner, Ray and I would always walk to the tree house we made one year with my father; there he taught me every bit of alchemy he learned." She took a pause and was about to continue when Al asked, "Were your parents Ishbalan?" Raven almost laughed, Roy Mustang an Ishbalan!! that was too comical for words, but she held her composure and said with a smile in her voice, "No not both, just my mom, my dad saved her during the Ishbalan massacre and ran away with her just weeks later, 1 year later Raymond and me were born...When we were 10 our mother got sick. the doctor we took her called it tuberculosis, and there was no cure, my mom lived for 2 more months and died...the day of her funeral my brother and I, tried to bring her back, using human transmutation, it never worked." She choked up a bit and stopped talking.

She heard Alphonse gasp, and then all was quiet. They sat there in silence until Alphonse broke it, "What happened to your brother, and you?" "Heh! Me!" She scoffed, "Absolutely nothing happened to me, except, I saw the gate, saw what was in there, horrible...I watched my brother, I watched him disappear inside the gate, being pulled in by black strings. I saw him again." Then she really did start to cry, the memory was to fresh for her, it pained her to remember it was her fault he was gone, her fault she never did something. She felt Al's hand on her shoulder, an act of sympathy. She sniffed, "I would have given anything to have him back, the only person left in my family is my father and he hates more than i ever thought he could." Alphonse sighed, there was nothing he should say about this, he never knew what hate felt like, his brother loves him, so he just sat there with her and let her talk until she fell asleep on his cold metal shoulder. When he noticed she was sleeping, he picked her up and took her back to the inn, where Ed was waiting impatiently with a handful of words to say, but before most of them could get out Al snapped at him, "Brother shut up, leaver her alone let her sleep!" With that he laid Raven in her bed and covered her with a blanket. He looked at his brother and noticed his face, "I'm sorry, she's sad just let her be, you could use some sleep too." Ed looked at him confused, "What did the two of you talk about?" Al looked around the room for something to stare at, but in the end looked at his brother and said "I would tell you, but I feel it's her secret to share." "Fine, I'm going to bed -yawn- wakes me in the morning."

Alphonse walked back out to the river, _she's just like us,_ he thought. He looked up at the moonlight, and that's when he heard it, the rustle of bushes, he looked across the river and saw a figure emerge and then race back into the solace of the forest. By the shadows the moonlight cast the figure was a human; Al called out, "Hey who are you! What are you doing over there?" The figure never answered just ran faster and deeper into the woods as if frightened. Al didn't follow but that figure and Raven were on his mind all night.

What neither Alphonse nor Raven realized was that, that figure had been standing there the whole time, watching them, listening to them. The figure had first saw the girl when she was in central, he had walked all the way there on foot from the town he had woken up in. he had no clue who he was or where he was from, but something compelled him to walk, and walking ended him up in central. He was certain that girl was the key to his past he so longed to remember. He would take her soon and make her tell him who he was.

The figure in the night ran back to his circle in the woods and sat there until sunrise, the figure in the woods was a homunculi. One who was deemed by the darkness as Rage.


	6. Chapter 6

A New Beginning: Chapter 6: Untitled

"_Raymond, ahhhhhh! Raymond wait for me, your going too fast!" _

_Raven began running faster in an attempt to catch up to her twin. Raymond turned around and laughed, then yelled behind his shoulder, "C'mon Rae, you can't even catch me? Consider this part of training, catch me and I teach you how father makes fire!" _

_Raven's eyes lit up and she began picking up her speed as Raymond smiled and circled a tree that grew in their backyard. Raven decided to take the opposite side and ended up colliding with her brother. In seconds they were on the ground laughing._

_Raven then stood triumphantly and pointed at Raymond, "You owe me now, I caught you, now show me how Daddy makes fire-"_

_(End of Dream)_

"-Raven, Raven wake up! Come on Raven get up we need to leave! And I mean leave NOW! God hurry up will you!!" Edward's voice resounded in her ear as she was rudely shaken by his hands. She groaned, rolled over, opened her eyes, and glared at Ed.

She sat up in her bed and watched as Edward walked over to his suitcase and proceeded to pick up clothes off the floor and throw them in, Alphonse stood by the door in indecision. She waited a few more seconds before asking, "Is someone gonna tell me why we're in such a rush, I mean we just got here!"

Edward whirled around, "We're being followed by someone and I want to leave as soon as possible, Alphonse saw him watching you and him over by the lake last night, so we're leaving now get out of bed, pack whatever you have, and hurry it up!!"

With that Edward turned back around and finished packing. Raven got out of bed and began doing the same. In two minutes they were finished and ready to go. Raven walked over to Alphonse and looked up at him, "Hey did you happen to see who it was that was watching us? Just out of curiosity?"

"…No Raven I didn't, he was watching from across the lake, or he was hiding, I saw him come out of a bush and then run into the forest when I called after him." Raven contemplated this, but didn't get far in her thoughts when Edward shouted from halfway down the stairs, "Will you guys hurry up! You can talk while we are on the road!" Raven sighed and walked out the door and went down the stairs, Alphonse close on her heels.

_(Later that evening)_

Edward groaned and dropped to the ground…."Okay we'll crash here tonight, I can barley move." He then began to unfurl his makeshift cot, Raven looked around, they were in the middle of nowhere, "Uh Ed where is here exactly? This the middle of the dessert, you expect to actually sleep out here?"

Edward looked up at her with a smirk on his face, "You did before anyway, what's different now? Oh that's right I'm sorry special cases deserve special treatment am I right? So sorry, here why don't you use my cot as well as yours princess."

You could actually see the steam coming out of Raven's ears. "SO WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?! HUH?! WHAT IS IT YOU MEAN BY SPECIAL CASE, HOW ABOUT SPECIAL TREATMENT? I'M JUST LIKE YOU, IT'S NOT FARI THAT-"

"SHUT UP RAVEN, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU ARE NOT LIKE US!! YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT US SO DO NOT SAY THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!"

"ONLY IF YOU DO THE SAME FOR ME, YOU KNOW ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING ABOUT MY PAST OH WISE SENSEI, IF YOU TOOK A MEASLEY SECOND TO STOP BOSSING ME AND YOUR BROTHER AROUND THEN MAYBE YOU'D SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY!"

Edward scoffed, "Whatever chick, you got some major issues going, I don't think Mustang's favorite case needs this kind of-"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME???? HAH MUSTANGS FAVORITE CASE, MORE LIKE HIS FREAKING WORSE NIGHTMARE, WHY THE HECK DO YOU THINK HE TOLD YOU TO TEACH ME?! SO I'D BE OUT OF HIS HAIR FOR 3 MONTHS!"

Edward laughed, "Well you're better off with him, because now I am in charge of you, and as long as you are with me, you will do as I say."

Raven glowered at him, "It's not like you own me, and you never will. I don't answer to stubborn shrimps either."

Edward's face blew up and turned red, "WHO YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT YOU NEED A MICROSCOPE JUST TO SEE HUH!?

Raven laughed," That's not what I said sweetie, but that works just fine in fact-"

Alphonse finally stepped in, "Stop it! I'm Tired of the fighting will you just STOP IT AND GET ALONG FOR ONCE!?"

Raven and Edward looked at each other for a few more seconds, then both looked at Al, Edward sighed and plopped down on his little cot. "Goodnight." Was all he said before drifting off to sleep… Raven walked over to Alphonse and leaned against his armor, "Al, I don't know if I can take another month of this? I'm tired of the two of us fighting, I'm tired of his insults, and I'm tired of people not caring about what happens to me."

Al gasped, grabbed Raven by the shoulders and held her in front of him, "Rae, I care about what happens to you, and I always will, I know your not some puppet to be toyed with, you're a human being like the rest of us, and I am aware you have feelings"

Raven smiled faintly, but she still looked upset. Suddenly Al caught on, "Ahhh I see now, you want Edward to care, and you have a crush on him don't you?

Raven's jaw dropped, "WHAT NO WAY!" Edward turned over, "Can the two of you be quiet, I'm trying to sleep here." Blush creeped up Raven's face. She turned away and stomped off to the other side of their small camping area; she got down on her knees and drew a circle using her finger and the sand. She clapped and laid her hands down on the transmutation circle, there was a red flash of light and there in front of her was a small woodless fire. Alphonse looked at her with amazement.

"How did you do that? That skill's not in any of the books my brother makes you read, and you two don't even do any practical alchemy! That was amazing!"

Raven smiled at the compliment and said simply, "My brother taught me when I was around 10, he learned that skill from our father, our mother always let me use it when she needed the fireplace or stove heated."

Raven looked on at the fond memory and got lost in her thoughts, it was only until Alphonse gently tapped her shoulder did she realized that she had been far off in a different world.

"Uh, Raven can I ask you something, you don't have to answer if it's hard?"

"Of course Alphonse you can ask me anything, what's on your mind?"

Alphonse looked a the stars, took in a breath and plunged in, "Well I was wondering, you said your mother was Ishbalan, but your dad wasn't, I'm not trying to be rude, honestly, but how did they meet, not many people just go to the refugee camps.?"

Raven laughed, "Is that all!? No I don't mind telling you, but I thought I told you before, my dad was a soldier in the military and during the Ishbalan war and he rescued her from one of the torture camps. She was supposed to have known information about where rebels were being held and he took pity on her."

"Huh. That's a very romantic story in its own way."

Raven smiled, "Yes, it does seem a bit romantic, kind of like s fairy tale no one tells anymore, A knight in shining armor rides up and rescues the damsel in distress, it's a very rough version on the tale but nevertheless its romantic."

"Yes. Hey is your dad still in the military, I mean the war wasn't that long ago that he would have retired already? Does your dad agree with your decision to join the State Alchemist? How come you never write or mention him?"

Raven sighed; she knew one of them would notice enough to mention that she never said anything about her father. She wondered if now was the time to mention that the man that assigned her to them was the same man that fell in love with the beautiful ishbalan maiden. She thought about for another minute and came up with her decision; she would be totally truthful with Alphonse.

"No, in fact he is in the military, but he doesn't like my decision, he's only letting me be a State Alchemist so he can take a closer watch on me. He hates it when I run away from school and disobey him, but I hate being at that school, so we made a deal, I go train and I stay under his jurisdiction."

"Ahh, so he's someone in the big leagues that has a district, which narrows it down, considering you won't tell me who your father is."

Raven looked at him incredulously, "You really are that curious about me??!"

"Well Raven you are a very mysterious girl, and someone's gotta ask questions about you or you'll never open up and be my friend."

Raven looked up at him…wishing there was more to see than just an empty suit of armor, but smiled nonetheless and said, "Al! Don't be silly you're already my friend, if you weren't I'd never tell you these things, you're the only one I know I can talk to without there being a conflict."

Alphonse contemplated her statement and then began to quietly laugh. When he looked back and saw Raven's seriously confused face, he turned totally comical. When he finally calmed down, Raven pulled on his arm and mad him look at her, "What about I just said was so funny?!"

"Well it seems to me, since theirs only 3 of us on this trip, and you feel that I'm the only one you can talk to without conflict, I just think that means you do have a crush on Edward!"

Raven's jaw dropped, much as it had done before when he had made this assumption, she was about to yell at him when she looked over his shoulder and saw Edward sleeping, his face toward them and the fire, she stared at his face. The shadows of the flames were dancing beautifully along his forehead and cheeks, making him look dazzling in the moonlit background. The blush on her cheeks almost matched the color of the fire when Alphonse spoke, "I told you, I know you do, you've been staring at him for the last 5 minutes, honestly, and you're obvious." Raven frowned a little. She looked away from him and stood, sighed and stretched. "Alphonse I'm going to bed, it was nice talking to you."

She rolled out her makeshift cot and tried to fall asleep, but Edward's face kept popping up in her mind. She frowned even more at herself and told herself he hated her, just like her father, she was useless to him and would mean nothing to him. She sighed and finally fell into a fitful sleep.

Alphonse looked at the fire, _I wish I was the one with the body, maybe then Raven would fall for me, like she is for Ed._ This was the one instance where Alphonse wished he could cry.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter I couldn't make a suitable name for it so its simply chapter 6

Sarah, theredletter


	7. Caged Bird

A New Beginning: Chapter 7: The Caged Bird

The morning sun found Raven already up and about, stretching her legs and getting ready for the long day ahead of them. She knew it was at least another 6 hours walk to the nearest town, just as long as Edward didn't decide he wanted to change courses again to try and throw off the person that had been watching them in the last town. At this point Raven didn't think she believed him or Alphonse about this mysterious follower, and thought nothing of it, considering they had no trouble leaving town, and aren't having any trouble now. She yawned and continued to roll up her makeshift cot and hook it onto her back pack, as she did this a picture fell out of the pack; she picked it up and turned it over to see of what it was. Her eyes moistened when she came face to face with her and her long time friend Alyssa from school. She deeply missed her and wished beyond wishes that she could see her again, tell her of all the places she's been and show her everything she had learned. Sometimes she wished she could go back to that school, if only to keep dear Alyssa company. With Raven gone, she had the dorm bedroom all to herself, unless the school already replaced Raven's empty bed. She smiled, _Alyssa give the new girl Hell for me won't you? Show her there was someone to fear, don't be a push over._

She looked up at the sound of metallic clanking of armored feet and saw Al in a distance walking toward her. When she had woken up he had not been there sitting, waiting for her to wake up. She wasn't at all bothered by his absence that morning, after last night's charades she wasn't sure he was the first thing she wanted to wake up to.

But now she couldn't be happier to see him, she pocketed the picture and walked over to him.

"Good morning Al, Where did you go off to this morning?"

"I went for a walk, I didn't think I needed to tell you or wait for you to wake up, I just wanted to go."

"Oh that's fine, I was just curious is all, you weren't here this morning and I was just a little bit concerned."

Alphonse saw through the lie, she was trying to make conversation, _can't she see I'm in no mood to talk? _He thought. He scoffed, "Whatever, you shouldn't be I'm a suit of armor, it's not like I'm easy to kidnap."

Raven gave a heartless giggle, "No I guess not, you're your own walking bodyguard."

There was a long awkward silence; the only thing that made noise was Ed's infernal snoring. Then Raven broke the silence, not being able to take it no longer.

"Um, Al Have I done or said something that has made you so upset? I mean, I was just joking around."

Alphonse looked over at her and saw her confused and hurt face, his heart unwillingly softened. He knew that only after a month and a half of being with her, he had fallen in love with her. He began to hate the way he felt whenever she was near, because he knew she would never reciprocate those feelings, and it made him miserable. He sighed and spoke, "Raven it's nothing, I'm not feeling too great, I'm sorry I snapped at you. "

Raven looked unconvinced, "Al, are you sure you don't want to talk to me about it?"

"No it's okay."

"Okay."

_No, _Al thought, _I could never talk to you about it. You wouldn't understand. You would tell me your feelings for me are platonic, and nothing could come of it. Just because I'm a suit of armor doesn't mean I'm incapable of being in love and having other feelings, I just don't have a body which to express myself with. My brother takes his for granted._

Thinking of his brother made him remember that he was still asleep. He was walked over to where Ed was still snoring and gave him a soft kick in the gut. All Ed did was turn around with a soft moan and go back to sleep. Alphonse grew frustrated and shook his brother with his hands, "Ed GET UP, it's time to get moving!"

Edward groaned, and continued to be shaken. Then he yelled, "ALRIGHT ALRIGHT IM UP!"

Edward sighed and began rolling up his bedding. Looked at how quiet Raven and Alphonse were being and commented on it. "I'm just a little tired and I'm not in the mood to talk" was the only reply he got and it was from Raven. He shrugged it off and didn't worry anymore about it. If truth were to be told, he had heard them talking last night, he heard most of the conversation, especially where Al accused Raven of liking him. Thinking about it again made him blush, as the three set of to the west, heading to the town of Shinoshane. He would never admit it to himself, but he had a major heart ache for Raven, but he would never make a move, he never could. He looked down at his feet as they shuffled across the ground, it would make to be a long long day.

(_Later that evening_)

Now Arriving Shinoshane:

"Finally we're here, now let's find an inn and get a bite to eat, I'm starving!" Edward groaned, along with his stomach. Raven rolled her eyes and said, "Well you guys head on and look for the inn, Ill find it later I gotta go do something."

Alphonse became concerned, "Raven where are you going, you shouldn't go anywhere alone in a new town, plus we could still be followed."

"Al, I'll be fine, I'm just going to get us supplies. You see" She pointed at a building about 20 feet away from them, "That's the general store I'm going in there, you can choose to follow or go get your dying of hunger dog some food."

Edward's head whipped around and glared at Raven, "What did you say?!"

Raven giggled, stuck her tongue out and ran off into the general store. When Raven opened the door and stepped in a little bell tolled and the clerk behind the counter greeted her with a smile. Raven picked out the supplies she needed and while she waited for them to be bagged she looked around to see if Ed and Al were anywhere around, they were nowhere to be seen. A tap on the shoulder brought her back to the clerk and he gave her, her supplies, she thanked her and walked out of the general store.

As she walked, she started humming a tune her mother always used to sing to her, and in her flutiness, walked straight into a man and dropped all her belongings along with his.

"Oh, sir I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going."

The man laughed as he bent down and began picking up everything, "It was my fault too, I wasn't either."

She bent down to help him gather their things; she looked over and saw that he had picked up her unzipped backpack. Her alchemy book had fallen out and e now held it in the other hand. He looked up at her with wonder and curiosity, "Are you an alchemist? A State Alchemist perhaps?"

"Heh not quite I'm trying to though, my dad wants me under his eye so joining the military's the only easy thing. Parents are vultures-"She stopped herself from going on, had she learned nothing form her mother! Never talk to strangers.

Now the man was staring at her, she looked away and stood up after gathering the rest of her things, he followed her lead. He gave her back her pack and book.

"Well now your dad sure knows what he's doing wanting you to be watched, we wouldn't want beautiful girls like you getting lost out here."

"Heh um bye." Was all Raven would say and she began walking away toward the inn. After about 15 minutes she realized she had no clue where it might have been and something worse…She was being followed, she could feel it. However, every time she looked around there was no one there. _Raven stop it you're being paranoid, just keep looking for the inn._

Raven passed a corner with a dark alley and at the very second she had passed through the middle of the opening of the alley a pair of hands reached out and grabbed her and pulled her into the alley, she barley had time to scream. A second later there was a cloth over her face and she blacked out.

_(Ed and Al's P.O.V.)_

"Well here we are…Shinoshane Inn. Wonder Raven is, I figured she would be right behind us" Edward said to Al as they ordered a room. Alphonse looked around nervously and said, "Do you think we should have stayed with her?"

Ed laughed, "Nah, she can take care of herself, she's a big girl."

Alphonse didn't find it funny that Raven hadn't caught up with them, and it bothered him even more, when 3 hours later, Raven still hadn't come to the inn.

"She's just out touring the town, let her be, I'm tired of her anyway." All Ed would do is shrugged it off.

When 2 more hours went by and it grew dark, Edward finally complied, "Okay let's go look for Raven."

Alphonse stood up instantly and raced out the door with Ed at his heals. They ran the whole town calling Raven's name and looking in all the shops, there was no sign of Raven.

Edward's worry grew worse, but he kept it down if only to keep Al calm, "Maybe she's at the inn now and we missed her come on let's go see her."

"Kay."

They arrived back to the inn, to no sign of Raven, now Edward was on the verge of panic, and it was Al's turn to keep him calm, "Look I'm sure she's fine, you said it yourself, she's a big girl, she can protect herself, here you need some food, you haven't eaten all day."

Edward agreed, only because it was food, and they made it down to the bar/restaurant. They sat in a table near the corner of the building, where a window was in case they spotted Raven, however, it was too dark to really see anything. Edward sighed and ordered food, and began chowing down. A mysterious man came and sat down to the table next to them, he seemed strange, and he kept looking at Edward. Alphonse curiosity got the best of him and he questioned the man.

"Uh sir? Are you okay?"

The man snapped his head up to the attention of Al and smiled, "Well I couldn't help but notice that your friend here has a State Alchemist watch, tell me, does that mean you are affiliated with the military?"

It bothered Edward that the man was asking him this so he decided to lie, "No actually, I probably shouldn't have it out, my dad gave it to me, to keep safe for him, he's been traveling around, and he wants me to give it back when he gets home, I should keep it somewhere better."

The man nodded, "Good son, you seem like a very responsible boy, your dad must be proud. Well I hope you two have a nice evening, I must be off." He stood up and ascended the stairs.

"Um Ed was there a reason that you lied to that man?"

"C'mon Al, it didn't bother you the way he asked that question? He wanted something."

Alphonse didn't understand why his brother was on edge, but it didn't dissipate after 30 minutes and still no Raven. Ed stood up. "C'mon Al lets go pack up and see if we can find Raven again, we need to find her, in the morning we'll file a kidnapping if we still can't find her." Al nodded and they both went up the stairs, when they went to their room, they found it ransacked, everything was out of whack, books on the floor, blankets tangled up.

"What the, who was in here." Edward looked around and then stared at Alphonse, "Go get the owner!" Alphonse nodded and ran down the stairs.

Edward began trying to clean up when he heard the door close, he whipped around, but he was too late, a hand came out and placed a cloth over his face that smelled horridly of ethanol. Edward's eyes rolled into his head and he tried to call Al but he passed out before the words could escape him.

Alphonse walked into the room with the owner no more than 30 seconds later to find that Edward had disappeared; now there was no one to quell Alphonse's panic.

Edward and Raven were both kidnapped, and by the same person, neither of them knew it, but they were but a staircase away from each other.

0o Angst!!!! What will happen to Edward and Raven?!?!?! Can someone get them out of this mess? Will this incident bring them together?!?!?! Next installment of my fiction coming! A New Beginning: Chapter 8: Fear.

Will love reviews!!!!

Sarah, theredletter


	8. Chapter 8

A New Beginning: Chapter 8: The Mistake and Escape

A/N: This is gonna be 2 chapters combined, so it may be quite long. Sorry it also took me a while to write it, I had F-cat and semester exams throughout the week.

Sarah, theredletter

(Raven's P.O.V.)

Raven groaned and opened her eyes only to be meet by more darkness. She had a pounded headache and had no idea where she was. Then, like a wave crashing onto the shore it hit her, she had been kidnapped. She remembered now that all she saw of her captor were his hands. She lifted her head up off the ground and sat up, there was a clinging noise. She looked down at her hands and saw that they were chained together and connected to a hook high on the wall that went all the way around the chain. Fear began to pound a hole in her chest; she had no clue why she was here...

A door opened to the corner and light shined through to the darkened room and hurt Raven's eyes. A figure stepped in and through Raven's half opened eyes, couldn't tell who it was. The figure shut the door and walked toward her. Raven only knew he was walking by his footsteps, as it had gone dark again.

The man stopped in walking and suddenly there was a small flicker of a lighter and then a candle was lit, then another, after a couple of fearful minutes there were a total of 6 candles lit and placed around her so there was light. The man kneeled down and looked at her, she looked back and gasped.

"It's you! You're the man I ran into this morning….but why?!" Raven was in shock, she had had no idea that he was a kidnapper. The man chuckled, "Funny isn't it, just when I was losing money for my project, I happen to cross a pretty little lady walking all by herself, and what do you know, she's a military brat. I believe I'll be set for years."

Raven scowled, "You #$#$! How can you just kidnap me off the street to fund your project! I can't even help you, I don't have any money, and even if I did, I wouldn't help you."

The man laughed even harder, "Who said I needed your direct help, you're just gonna sit here in this little cell and be a good little piece of bait, and if your daddy will give me the ransom I want then maybe I'll let you go unharmed, if I decide I want more I may keep you longer, and it just so happens that I have your brother upstairs all tied up too, so you keep your mouth shut and behave and I wont hurt him."

Raven's eyes widened, "Raymond?! That's impossible he's dead!" The man frowned, "Raymond? No he said his name is Ed, and the two of you will get us a nice bit of money."

Raven tried not to show her surprise and succeeded, she began to rack her brain for ideas…_so Edward's here…he must have finally noticed I had been missing, but what is he thinking?_ A new thought came to her, the man couldn't get the money unless he knew her father's name.

"I won't tell you who my father is."

"Oh don't worry about that darling, you're brother was all for giving me his name, the Flame Alchemist should be receiving my letter within the hour, if he hasn't gotten it already."

_(Roy's P.O.V.)_

_Knock Knock_

"Come in" Roy called from his desk as he stood to greet whoever was coming in. The door opened and a messenger came in looking sweaty and very tired, closely followed behind him were Roy's comrades, Lt. Cain, Jean Havoc, and Breda Fury.

The messenger opened his bag and handed Roy a letter and, just as quickly as he came, he left without a word.

There was silence for a minute and finally Breda spoke, "Well lt. Colonel are you going to open it sir?"

"Are you sure we can trust it, there's no seal on it." Havoc said.

Cain laughed, "It's a letter how bad can it be."

Roy looked at them and said, "Is there a reason my office has been the center of break time?"

"C'mon sir, there's been no action around here for days and all of a sudden you get a letter without a word about who it is from!? This is all the excitement we've had all week. Cut us a break."

Roy rolled his eyes and turned over the letter and began opening it when there was once again a knock on the door. The person at the door didn't bother to wait for Roy's confirmation to come and just opened the door. The minute the door was open Lt. Hawkeye began talking, "Sir I have some—'' She stopped and looked at the crowded office, "Is there a reason this office is a parade ground?"

Havoc laughed, "Mustang here got a letter and we all want to know what's in it."

Riza looked at Roy and saw the letter in his hand was half opened, "Well no reasons to just waiting around for the world to end, might as well open it." She said.

Now without interruption Roy fully opened the letter, he read it for a few seconds and then leaned against the desk to keep his balance. He stared at the letter in disbelief and incredulity. "This—this is impossible."

Havoc, Breda, and Cain looked at him and drew closer, "What does it say?" Havoc asked, he took the letter and read it allowed.

_Flame Alchemist _

_I suggest that if you expect to see your son and daughter ever again, you will get $500,000 for each child, and bring it to the specified location. If I do not receive a reply from you in no later than 3 days, I will not hesitate to kill both your children. As soon as I get a reply from you I will give you the location as to where I want you to hand over the ransom. You are to bring no one else with you, if you are alone and have all the money, I will see to it, both your son and daughter are returned safely to you. I suggest you make your reply fast, because until get the money, I have leave to do whatever I please, I am not responsible for the condition your children will be in when or if I return them to you._

_**Arson**_

Havoc lowered the letter and the cigarette that was in his mouth fell out and onto the floor. Breda, Cain, and Riza all looked at Roy with strange looks. Then Breda burst, "This guy is whacked out you don't have any kids Mustang, you were never even married. This is ridiculous." Cain laughed and said, "Exactly, if this is just some sick hoax in an attempt to get money, it's not gonna work."

Havoc looked at Roy and asked, "You don't have kids do you? Roy?"

Roy was silent then walked behind his desk, sat down, folded his hands, and sighed.

"Well…I don't have a son, I do have a daughter. Where they got a kid to be my son I don't know, but more than likely the girl that he has probably is my daughter."

If Havoc had put another cigarette in his mouth it would have again fallen out and onto the floor. Every single person in the room (minus Roy and Hawkeye) went wide eyed and slack jawed. They were speechless. Roy was getting irritated, "If your just gonna stand there looking stupid then I will put you to work. Havoc take the letter to investigations and Breda and Cain go see if you can catch that messenger and bring him back, Hawkeye stay here…NOW!"

In true military form, they snapped into action, saluting Roy and then bustling out, whispering to each other. After a lengthy silence Hawkeye spoke, "You think it was wise telling them you have a child Colonel? I thought you wanted to keep that part of your life out of the military."

"It's not like I had much of a choice Lt. I just got a letter saying someone has my child in as a hostage, if I did nothing it wouldn't look good."

Hawkeye's eyes flashed with anger, "So you only acted because you didn't want to ruin your precious reputation! Lt. Hughes told me the story, or most of it, tell me, you wouldn't have done anything if you had been alone when you received the letter would you?"

Riza waited patiently for his answer, but she didn't have to wait long, "No I wouldn't have, she's nuisance, and I may have investigated into who the "son" is that is in their possession. Lt. I don't want to hear a lecture form you, as your higher up, you aren't to tell me how to do my job."

"Maybe not your job sir, but you're an awful parent and if I can't lecture you on how to be a better parent to your daughter, then I'll go find someone who can, in the meantime, you can find yourself another dog." With that she turned and walked out of the office, leaving a disgruntled and upset Roy Mustang behind.

A few minutes later the door burst open, and in ran two officers, both looking frightened and sweaty. They saluted and went immediately into talking, "Sir there is a man here in huge armor requesting you, he says his brother is a State Alchemist, but he isn't with him, He is being detained until being found legitimate and—"

"You can let him go, I believe I know who you are talking about, let him out and direct him into my office."

"Sir!" They went and got the man in armor Roy knew was Alphonse Elric, and he had a feeling he figured out who his mysterious new "son" had been in the letter.

_(Ed's P.O.V.)_

'_Let's see when would be good time to break free?'_ Edward spent most of his time musing this thought, but never put it into action. True he could escape using alchemy whenever he wanted and it wasn't because he was scared that he hadn't yet, but because he wanted to wait to see the man that put him here. He didn't have to wait long, a few minutes later; he heard foot steps and door open.

The man that came in and chuckled, "So you're awake too, you and your sister are quite synchronized."

Edward's ears perked at the sound of sister, he had thought he might say brother, but he had no clue where the man got '_sister_' from. "What do you mean sister? I haven't got a sister." Then a thought came to his head, "What have you done to Raven! You better not have hurt her, or I swear Ill—"

The man laughed and interrupted him, "Do what!? You can't do a thing you're tied up and I'm free to roam around. I'm guessing Raven's your girlfriend if not your sister… Ah well I'll still get a double ransom for you, her dad won't be happy."

Edward scowled, the minute this guy was gone, he would leave, find Raven, figure out what this was all about and then get the both of them out of here. First he needed to get information.

"Where'd you put Raven? Where am I? What do you want money for?"

"Why should I tell you? You little brat, you better behave or you and your little girlfriend might not make it out this alive." He patted Ed's cheek and stood, before he left the room he turned with a smirk and said, "Besides, what can a little shrimp like you do?" Edward burst.

"WHO YOU CALLING A BEAN-SPROUT MIDGET TOO SMALL TO SEEN WITH THE HUMAN EYE HUH!"

The man left with stitches in his sides, he turned to his side and talked to somebody, or some bodies that were hidden by the wall, "Make sure that he doesn't be a nuisance, and if you have to, kill him."

Two thugs walked in, closed the door and stood side-by-side and stared at Ed with sickly grins. Ed returned the sickly grin, only because he had something up his sleeve, and he was about to do it. He waited another few minutes then found a position where he could execute his plan. He quickly clapped his hands and then with a flash of blue light his chains that had been surrounding his hands and connected to the wall turned into a thick metal pole. He stood up and before the thugs could do anything he whipped the pole around and knocked them both out.

"Heh, way too easy."

He unlocked the door and using alchemy and then opened the door and peeked around the corner. Now all he needed to do was find raven and beat up the guy that put him them in here. He had no leads on where she might be so he would just have to search around. He went all the way along the corridor and saw no sign of anyone else or Raven. He notice as he was doubling back that there was a ladder leading down into what must be another corridor so he took his chances and went down. It was very dark so he used the wall to feel his way around, he hit the jackpot when he came to the first door, it was locked. He smirked; this had to be where Raven was. He clapped his hands and with another flash of blue, he was able to unlock the door. He opened and walked in, it was almost as dark in here as it was out in the corridor, except for a spot of moonlight, shining through a window high above him. Even with the little light he was given he couldn't be sure if someone was in here.

"Raven….Raven are you in here. Are you okay?"

He heard movement in the darkest corner of the room and stood alert. The movement stopped when his voiced died, so he spoke again.

"Raven is that you?"

The thing in the corner of the room moved closer and then came into the light. It was Raven, but she looked hurt. Edward went toward her and dropped to his knees to get level with her. She looked more frightened than hurt now that he got a closer look at her. Her face was shaking and her eyes were lowered to the ground, he had never seen Raven like this, and to be honest, he wished he never had, Raven was always so strong and brave, and seeing her like this was almost more than he could bear.

"Raven…Raven…Raven what happened?"

Raven looked at Edward and just shook her head. "Raven what?" Again she just shook her head…"It's impossible…Can't happen…" Raven said and shook her head again, Edward was getting desperate for an answer, he put his hands on either of her arms and shook her only a little, "Rae! Snap out of it what's wrong!!??"

She sucked in her breath when he shook her and he became alert. He let go of her arms and lifted her shirt sleeve up on each side and saw that there were marks on her arms. He was getting angry.

"Did he do this to you, that man?!"

Raven didn't answer, and Edward gave a frustrated sigh, he wished there was something for him to do to get her to talk or to help her, but he was basically powerless. He helped to lift her on her feet and was relieved that she could at least stand on her feet by herself. The second she was on her two feet she hugged Edward. Edward stood rock still, he was never used to hugs form girls and this time was no different, but in a way it was, when she hugged him, he hadn't felt awkward or anything like that, but in fact he felt like hugging her right back and holding her, it was that feeling that scared him and made him gently push her away. He reached down and grabbed her hand, "We need to get out of here." She nodded and let him lead the way. He looked around the corners and led her out of the room. He turned to the right and went back toward the ladder, but someone was just coming down it, he grabbed Raven and ran down the other end of the hall and hid in the dark of the wall. The Man, as he was now known as, climbed down the ladder along with someone behind him and they both walked to the room. They had a flashlight and it shone on the door and illuminated the stranger's face, when it became illuminated Raven gripped Edward's arm hard and stared intently at the face. Edward looked at her and then at the stranger, there was something about the way she looked at him that freaked him out but he couldn't put his finger out. He didn't have much time to contemplate this thought, because at that minute they realized that the Man knew they were not in their rooms, and now they were searching. Edward needed a plan and fast, because he and the strange boy with jet black hair, and deep brown eyes were coming their way.

End Chapter 8

I hoped you liked it, it took me 10 hours to put on this out onto paper!!

theredletter


	9. escape

Chapter 9

Escape

A/N: Sorry this took so long to start I had major writers block on how to get where I'm going. I have an idea of the first few chapters so I'm gonna submit off with that and finish this chapter in my spare time, here's the beginning.

Edward and Raven began to shrink back into the hallway as the mysterious man and boy came closer. As they were moving Edward frantically looked around for a way out of the hallway and out of chance of getting seen by their captors. He noticed a branch off hallway a few feet behind them. He moved back with Raven some more and entered the hallway, he quickly walked down the length of the hallway to find a way out. All he found was a ladder going up… _This is our best bet…_he thought. He grabbed Raven's hand and pointed upward, she nodded and they both started to climb. Edward opened the hatch and, almost immediately, light streamed through. Unfortunately, at that very moment, both the man and the boy were passing the hallway and noticed the light, Edward's and the boy's eyes met for a brief moment then Edward made double-time while yelling behind his back, "Raven! Hurry they saw us!" As soon as he reached the top he turned around, bent down, and pulled Raven up. As he closed the hatch he saw them beginning to climb. He gave a victorious grin as he slammed the hatch shut and sealed it into the concrete using alchemy. He stood up and said, "They won't be getting up that way, but we still need to get out of here. Alright Raven let's get going…Raven?" He looked around, but Raven was no where in sight. He tried again, taking a few steps forward, "Raven, where did you go!?! Raven!" He suddenly heard footsteps coming from the left hallway and got his hands ready for battle, but he sagged with relief to see Raven excitedly coming toward him.

"Holy, Raven you scared me half to Hell, where did you go?"

Raven shook her head and motioned for her to follow her. She turned back to the hallway and started to jog down it, Edward clipping at her heels. When they came to the end of the hallway, they were in front of a ladder. Raven looked to the ladder and then to Edward, then pointed up. Edward got what she meant and began to climb. They came out to a roof, the midnight moon beaming down at them.

"Ok…We're on the roof, now how do we get off without getting caught?"

Raven scrunched her nose in thought. She hadn't gotten that far, she found the ladder, figured it lead to the roof, and now, she had no other plan. She sat down on the roof floor and continued to think. Edward couldn't help but think of how cute she looked.

After a few thoughtful minutes, they heard a noise…Someone was in the hallway they had just vacated and someone was coming up the ladder. Raven shot up form the floor and began to hold a look of panic. Edward, having faced danger similar to these situations before, got on a battle face and moved Raven to stand behind him.

(Raven's P.O.V.)

Raven gulped, she was usually braver than this, she would have kicked herself silly if she knew what a coward she was making herself look in front of Edward, but her intelligence escaped when she saw a face she thought she'd never seen again. _It's impossible_, she thought,' _It can't be true, he can't come back, no one can come back from the dead….No one, how can it be'._ Her mind was still in shock, after hours of mulling it over there was no way, that that boy, that man, there was just no conceivable way that that boy was her brother, Raymond.

She felt Edward's grip tighten on her upper arm as the abductor stood up straight, followed by two henchmen, followed by The Boy, Rage. Her eyes widened as she peered over Ed's shoulder and watched this, the moment she saw The Boy she made an 'eep' squee and backed away from all of them….. and kept backing up…….and kept backi---,

"RAVEN STOP!" -----

(Edward's P.O.V.)

He felt her let go of him. He turned around; she was backing up with incredible speed, faster, and faster, toward the edge of the roof. His heart knew true panic. He yelled to her and ran to catch her. His yell startled her and made her trip over her feet….She fell.

She gasped, there was a flash of light, a huge, concrete hand jutted out of the side of the building catching her, but also knocking her unconscious. Edward looked over the edge and saw she was safe, he turned to face their captors, fire burning in his eyes. He clapped his hands, and placed his right over his left arm, running the length down to the hand, making a knife. He sneered, "You'll pay for whatever you did to her!" he ran forward, ready for a fight. The stranger held up a gun and began shooting. Every shot was deflected by Edward's knife/arm, almost everyone; a henchman began shooting as well. One single bullet was not deflected and hit him in the side. He growled and dropped to his knees. His vision blurred. Things were going black. He couldn't believe he lost this fast, this easily; he looked up at the shooters. '_One. Two. Three. Four….Five….Six….wait what? Why do I see six if there were only fo---' _He never got to finish his thought, his mind shut down on him and he fainted.

"Well, looks like we came in the nick of time huh Al?" "Roy Mustang smirked as he came up behind the attackers. His hand poised for some extreme snapping. The lone boy near the end perked his ears up at the sound of Roy's voice and he turned. Roy gasped and widened his eyes in horror **(seems like there's a lot of horror in this chappy huh? Lol ---Sarah)**. He stuttered his step, but Al took no time in beginning the fight and getting to Ed. Roy just kept staring, and staring, his mind saying a hundred thousand things. The Boy gave a smirk, an evil smirk, and began to advance, apparently this man knew him, and apparently this man was scared by him. Roy's mind came back to the moment at hand, he closed his eyes, shook his head furiously snapped his fingers and reopened. The place where The Boy had been was empty, The Boy was gone. _'Maybe I imagined it, there was no boy there, it wasn't Raymond….it wasn't'_

_**End**_

A/N sorry this took forever…….I was so caught up in so many things, this chappy is over!


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